


Goodbyes

by avisioninorange



Series: Adrift Verse [1]
Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: Bridgerton, F/M, Multi, Other, Polin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28490742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avisioninorange/pseuds/avisioninorange
Summary: Colin waits to say goodbye to his family before leaving for Greece but there is someone he wishes was there. A Colin POV from the final episode of s1 of the show series.
Relationships: Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington
Series: Adrift Verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2124891
Comments: 16
Kudos: 219





	Goodbyes

He’d made it clear that he would be departing promptly at noon. Colin had to keep a schedule if he was going to make it to the ship and on the way to Greece. That didn’t mean that as his family said their goodbyes to him that his eyes didn’t keep gazing toward the windows of the Featherington home. Nor did that mean that he didn’t find himself stalling a bit.

Eloise had apologized off, promising that she wouldn’t be late to say goodbye some hours ago. He’d seen her heading off in that direction. While it hadn’t been a topic of conversation beyond an idle passing remark from his mother, he was aware that Lord Featherington had died unexpectedly. It made sense that Eloise would want to check on her best friend.

He didn’t begrudge her that.

It wasn’t his sister’s absence that bothered him at all actually nor any other family member. It was the distinct lack of Penelope. 

Despite the abundance of reasons why she wasn’t there, Colin had been certain that Penelope would at least show her face one last time before he departed. It bothered him that she wasn’t there, not that he could have voiced as much. 

He could have easily asked Eloise to bring Penelope over for his departure. He had no doubt his mother would have latched onto any request though, read into it far more than he would have appreciated. It wasn’t a conversation that he was ready to have.

He had tried to speak directly with Penelope at the ball. She’d practically glowed in the candle light and she’d been as lively and passionate as he’d ever seen her. While he’d told her of his plans to leave, told her she was encouraged him back to his travels there was so much more that he’d wanted to say. 

She’d apparently had things to say too and by telling her that he was leaving, she’d clammed up. He had watched her spirit crumble, the way she pulled away and refused his offer of a dance. 

She didn’t know that he’d wanted to spend whatever fleeting time that he had left at home in her presence but he’d not had the opportunity to say as much. He couldn’t even chase after her. Penelope was far from slow when she was determined to make an escape.

Perhaps he let her though. 

She deserved better than a foolish boy with wanderlust in his veins. 

Her family and the Ton maybe didn’t see her or appreciate her but one day he knew someone would come around and absolutely sweep her off her feet. Her time was coming and she’d be the happiest of them all.

“Do you want me to go grab our sister?” he heard Anthony ask, clearly picking up on the fact Colin had dazed off staring at Featherington’s window. Clearly he’d been staring at the window for far too long.

His cheeks burned and he focused his attention back to his horse, pretending to be fascinated with the straps. 

“Why would you want to go and do a thing like that?” he said, forcing a crooked smile. “She’ll ruin the whole thing.”

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a sealed letter. His messy cursive penned on the letter to indicate who it belonged to. He debated pocketing it again, forgetting about the whole ordeal all together.

He cast another glance to his pocket watch with his other hand before deciding it was now or never. If he didn’t get on his horse and leave he wasn’t going to end up doing it.

“Will you do me a favor?” he asked to brother, careful to keep his voice low away from their other siblings or worse their mother.

“No, but you’re going to ask so go ahead,” his older brother replied.

He narrowed his eyes, lips pursing before he extended the letter. 

“Just give this to our annoyingly tardy sister. She can handle the delivery,” he uttered. 

Anthony looked it over, raising a quizzical eyebrow before pocketing it. The look was enough to make Colin’s jaw tense in defensiveness.

“I wanted to extend my sympathy. I _practically_ married into their family. Penelope has been a –“ he started, prepared to go on an absolute tangent in defense of not only the best Featherington but one of the most decent people in the Ton. Penelope had always been there for him. She was an living, breathing angel and he wouldn't stand for anyone, including his brother lumping her in with the rest of her family. 

Apparently his voice had risen significantly enough to earn the attention of everyone waiting to say their goodbyes. He’d also completely overlooked the fact his tardy sister had finally arrived with little time to spare and was looking more than curiously at the whole interlude.

Eloise raised an eyebrow as well, hearing just enough to know that she didn’t want to ask questions.

“Speaking of Pen, she wanted me to wish you safe travels. She’s sorry that she couldn’t do it herself but – things are _difficult_ at her house right now,” Eloise explained. 

“That _poor_ dear,” Violet said. It was clear that she didn’t add further for fear of speaking ill of the dead or the rest of the Featherington clan. 

“I wouldn’t even be here to say goodbye to me if it could be helped,” he responded with a shrug. He was grateful for save, though he was hardly comforted by thoughts of Penelope Featherington’s pain.

He decided he could not prolong his goodbyes or linger there thinking of it. He moved from sibling to sibling in an effort to get on his horse and go.

As he climbed upon his trusted steed, he cast one more glance toward his own and then another at the Featheringtons before he departed to waves of his family. 

His resolve was thin but he couldn’t stay.

**Author's Note:**

> I am not sure whether this will be a one-shot piece or if I will do something from Penelope's perspective following this. The odds are very, very high though.
> 
> You can find me at invisibleinorange on tumblr.


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